Introduction to data support services and resources for public policy
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The document provides an overview of data support services and resources for public policy, focusing on the roles of data libraries, research data management, and various types of surveys including longitudinal and cross-sectional studies. It outlines resources available at the University of Edinburgh and other national data services that aid researchers in accessing and analyzing data, as well as understanding the implications of data collection for policy-making. The document emphasizes the importance of data literacy and the growing significance of data as a resource.
Introduction to data support services and resources for public policy
- 1. Introduction to data support services and resources for public policy Stuart Macdonald Associate Data Librarian Introductory Analysis of Policy course, Academy of Government's MSc public policy program University of Edinburgh 8 October, 2015
- 2. Outline Data Library consultancy and resources Research Data Management (RDM) Survey Documentation and Analysis (SDA) National data services for social sciences UK social and political surveys Population census Non-academic data sources National statistical agencies A data future!
- 3. What is a data library? A data library refers to both the content and the services that foster use of collections of numeric and/or geospatial data sets for secondary use in research. A data library is normally part of a larger institution (academic, scientific, medical, governmental, etc.) established to serve the data users of that organisation. The data library tends to house local data collections and provides access through various means (online or central server for download). A data library may also maintain subscriptions to licensed data products.
- 4. Data Library - http://www.ed.ac.uk/is/data-library
- 5. Data Library & consultancy Finding… “I need to analyse some data for a project, but all I can find are published papers with tables and graphs, not the original data source.” Accessing … “I’ve found the data I need, but I’m not sure how to gain access to it.” Using … “I’ve got the data I need, but I’m not sure how to analyse it in my chosen software.” Managing … “I have collected my own data and I’d like to document and preserve it and make it available to others.” Reference interviews Data Library catalogue: http://datalib.edina.ac.uk/catalogue
- 6. Data Library resources Large-scale social science survey data Country and regional level time series data Population and agricultural census data Financial data Data for mapping Resources for teaching Opening hours: 9.30am – 5.30pm (Tues, Weds,Thurs) Lower Ground Floor East, Main Library Tel.: 0131 651 1431 or 0131 651 1744 Email: datalib@ed.ac.uk
- 7. Research Data Management (RDM) RDM is a general term covering how you organize, structure, store, and care for the digital data used or generated during a research project. It includes: • Planning how your data will be looked after – many funders now require data plans as part of grant applications • How you deal with information on a day-to-day basis over the lifetime of a project • What happens to data in the longer term – what you do with it after the project concludes
- 8. Why research data management is important
- 9. RDM Services RDM training: Research Data MANTRA - Open online course aimed at researchers and others managing digital data as part of the research process - http://datalib.edina.ac.uk/mantra Institutional data repository provision Edinburgh Datashare - http://datashare.is.ed.ac.uk/ Assistance with deposit in national archives Assistance with Data Management Plans (DMPs) Contributes to the University’s RDM Programme: http://www.ed.ac.uk/is/data-management
- 10. Survey Documentation and Analysis (SDA) SDA allows users to discover and analyse microdata online, and to download user- defined subsets of data in formats conversant with statistical analysis packages.
- 11. Introduction to National Data Services and Support
- 12. Applied Quantitative Methods Network (AQMeN) - http://aqmen.ac.uk/ Original aim was to build capacity in the use of quantitative methods amongst Scotland’s social science community and beyond. AQMeN is a Research Centre that aims to develop projects to improve our understanding of current social issues in the UK and provide policy makers and practitioners with independent research-based evidence to build a better future. Funded by ESRC (2013-2016) AQMeN has three primary strands of research involving a multidisciplinary team of researchers from the UK and abroad : • Crime and victimisation • Education and social stratification • Urban segregation and inequality AQMeN offer practical quantitative methods training on a range of techniques developed as part of their programme of research Data Library host and manage the AQMeN website
- 14. UK Data Archive Founded in 1967 and based at the University of Essex ESRC / JISC-funded Houses several thousand social science and humanities datasets Provides resource discovery and support for secondary use of quantitative and qualitative data in learning, teaching and research. More recently it has worked with environmental and medical data sources. Host to the UK Data Service which provides the following facilities: • History Data Service • Census.ac.uk • Variable and question bank • Secure Lab • Qualibank
- 15. UK Data Service (UKDS) £17 million investment over 5 years Funded by ESRC – new service is structured to support researchers in academia, business, third sector and all levels of government Commenced 1 October 2012 – integrated ESDS, Census Programme, Secure Data Service, and other elements of the data service infrastructure provided by ESRC, including UKDA A single point of access to economic and social data Distributed service led by Univ. of Essex in collaboration with: Jisc Manchester, Cathie Marsh Centre for Census & Survey Research (Univ. of Manchester) School of Geography (Univ. of Leeds) Geography and Environment (Univ. of Southampton) EDINA (Univ. of Edinburgh) Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis (UCL)
- 17. UKDS features include: Data – free to download for academic purposes upon registration in formats conversant with statistical analysis packages, full/partial catalogue search, browse by subject, also links to major studies, new releases Support – finding data, online guides, learning and teaching resources, online data analysis tools (Nesstar, Beyond 20/20), external statistical sources, FAQ Resources – Online data browsing tools, metadata tools, qualitative tools Advice for managing, depositing, sharing research data - best practice for ESRC researchers and beyond, preservation guidelines News & Events – workshops, new data, publications (incl. good practice guides)
- 18. Key data
- 19. • Part of "EDINA and Data Library" division of Information Services at the University of Edinburgh • Develops and delivers shared online services and infrastructure to support research and education in the UK • Services free at the point of use for use by staff and students in learning, teaching and research through institutional subscription • Focus is on service delivery and support but also undertake R&D (projects services) delivers about 20 online services employs about 80 staff (Edinburgh & St Helens) EDINA – a Jisc centre for digital expertise and online service delivery – http://edina.ac.uk
- 20. EDINA Digimap - http://digimap.edina.ac.uk/
- 21. Administrative Data Research Network (ADRN)- http://www.adrn.ac.uk/
- 22. Major UK social & political surveys A range of microdata sets are freely available to University researchers. These are predominantly longitudinal or cross-sectional studies. Longitudinal surveys: the same panel or ‘cohort’ is surveyed over a period of time – change over time can be measured and collected Advantages: • Ability to show the patterns of variable change over time – to show ‘cause and effect’ relationships Disadvantages: • Attrition over time – some subjects will no longer be able to participate (due to death, refusal, changes in contact information) – thus cutting down on useable data from which conclusions can be drawn • Data collected at multiple (pre-determined) points in time – cannot take into account whatever has happened in between ‘touch-points’
- 23. Cross-sectional surveys: a new representative sample is selected for each study Advantages: • More affordable when compared to a similar longitudinal study • Allows researchers to compare many different variables at the same time (‘snapshot’) • With fewer ‘touch-points’ (no follow up) they are also much quicker in reaching an observational conclusion • Provided the sample size is carefully chosen, cross-sectional studies can be helpful in representing entire populations, rather than selected subsets. This can be beneficial when considering policy change. Disadvantages: • The single survey nature means that it may not be possible to make conclusive observations about the direction of any association between variables. • Do not consider what happens before or after the ‘snapshot’ is taken.
- 24. Longitudinal Surveys Understanding Society – the UK Household Longitudinal Study Study (Incorporates the British Household Panel Survey) - Commenced : 2009. Surveys 50,000 adults and 4,000 young people at over 30,000 selected addresses, who are followed up annually, even if they move home. Main topics: person’s state of health, experiences of crime, personal finances, bringing up finances, bringing up children, involvement with local communities, working lives, personal and political views and outlook. Access: UK Data Service, http://discover.ukdataservice.ac.uk/series/?sn=200005 Growing up in Scotland - Commenced : 2005. Longitudinal study of Scottish children from infancy to their teens, with eight sweeps planned. Main Topics: Characteristics and circumstances of children and their families, housing and housing and neighbourhood, eating habits, participation in educational, social and recreational activities, health and development, parenting styles and support, pre-school and school experience, parental health, family and social networks. Access: UK Data Service, http://discover.ukdataservice.ac.uk/series/?sn=20002
- 25. Longitudinal Surveys cont’d Millennium Cohort Study - Commenced: 2001. Following 19,000 babies born in the UK in 2001. Main Topics: Household information, early education, schooling and childcare, child and family childcare, child and family activities and child’s behaviour, parenting activities, child’s health, parent’s health, employment, income and education, housing and local area, older siblings’ leisure time activities, extra activities at school, classes outside school, home life. Access: UK Data Service, http://discover.ukdataservice.ac.uk/series/?sn=2000031 Other longitudinal surveys include: • Scottish School Leavers Survey (1991-) • 1970 British Cohort Study • Scottish Longitudinal Study (2007-)
- 26. Cross-sectional Surveys Integrated Household Survey (Continuous Population Survey) - Commenced:
- 27. Cross-sectional Surveys cont’d Labour Force Survey (England, Wales & Scotland) – Commenced: 1979. 1979. Repeated quarterly cross-sectional study of 100,000 households, of which 7,800 in Scotland. Main Topics: Household, family structure, basic housing information and demographic details demographic details of household members, economic activity, employment status, earnings, education and health. Access: UK Data Service, http://discover.ukdataservice.ac.uk/series/?sn=2000026 British Social Attitudes Survey – Commenced: 1983. Annual repeated cross-sectional study. 3,400 cases, of which 270 in Scotland. Main Topics: Housing & home ownership, work & unemployment, health & social care, social care, education, social security, tax & spending, welfare state, transport, environment & the countryside, law & order, civil liberties, racism & sexism, social inequality, religion, politics & governance. Access: UK Data Service, http://discover.ukdataservice.ac.uk/series/?sn=200006 or via: http://www.britsocat.com Other cross-sectional surveys include: Family Resources Survey (1992-); British Election study (1964-); Scottish Health Survey (1995-): ONS Opinions and Lifestyle Survey (1990-)
- 28. UK population census Censuses are comprehensive surveys, on standard topics, conducted at single points in time incl. demography, household and families, health, economic activity, travel, education, religion, housing Aims to be a 100% head count of population: resident, absent, communal establishments, no fixed abode (e.g. 1.5% of population ‘unaccounted’ for in 1991). Statutory basis, legally compulsory to respond, confidentiality guaranteed (1920 Census Act & 1991 amendment). Data are collected nationally at a very local level There is much standardisation across censuses conducted in 4 UK territories, but substantial differences do occur, both in input (e.g. religion question) and output (defining census geographies).
- 29. UK Data Service Census Support - http://census.ac.uk
- 30. Flow data
- 31. Census microdata - Census.ac.uk does not hold the census longitudinal data. These can be found at: England and Wales (ONS LS): CeLSIUS - http://www.ucl.ac.uk/celsius/ (from 1971, 1% sample - linked to births, deaths, cancer registrations, highly confidential). Scotland (SLS): SLS-Development and Support Unit - http://sls.lscs.ac.uk/ (from 1991, 5.3% sample – c. 274,000 individuals were selected using 20 random birthdates, linked to vital events, health information, weather and pollution data, and census data from 1991 and 2011) Northern Ireland (NILS): NILS-RSU - http://www.qub.ac.uk/research- centres/NILSResearchSupportUnit/ (from 1981, 28% sample - linked to vital events, migration data, health data) Samples of Anonymised Records (SARs) – also available for 1991, 2001) Unanonymised (All academic researchers need to satisfy the Approved Researcher Criteria)
- 33. Aggregate data The InFuse Tool has aggregate data for selected variables down to local authority level (also OA for England and Wales) includes data from the 2001 and 2011 censuses of Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland data downloaded as raw asci (csv) can be used to compare data from the different constituent parts of the UK. Casweb provides access to UK aggregate data for the 1971, 1981, 1991 and 2001 Censuses (down to OA level).
- 34. Government data sources National Records of Scotland (NRS) – http://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/ Scottish Census 2011 – Data Explorer – http://www.scotlandscensus.gov.uk/ Office for National Statistics (ONS) – http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/index.html ONS Neighbourhood Statistics – http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/ ONS Open Geography Portal https://geoportal.statistics.gov.uk/geoportal/catalog/main/home.page Scottish Neighbourhood Statistics (SNS) – http://www.sns.gov.uk/ (to be replaced soon by the Scottish Statistics website) NISRA - http://www.nisra.gov.uk/ Welsh Government Statistics - http://wales.gov.uk/topics/statistics/ Data.Gov.UK - http://data.gov.uk/ Eurostat – http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat
- 35. The Guardian Datastore has loads of examples of telling stories with data
- 36. Open Knowledge Foundation - School of Data - https://okfn.org/ - http://www.datacarpentry.org/Data Carpentry
- 37. A Data future “The ability to take data - to be able to understand it, to process it, to extract value from it, to visualise it, to communicate it –that’s going to be a hugely important skill in the next decades.” Hal Varian, Google’s chief economist. “Data is the new oil!” Clive Humby, Assoc. of National Advertisers Senior marketer’s summit, 2006 “The coolest thing to do with your data will be thought of by someone else” Rufus Pollock , Founder and President of Open Knowledge Based on a slide by Marieke Guy, UKOLN
- 38. Pics from Flickr (creative commons attribution) – credits include: D Sharon Pruitt Ask us about data datalib@ed.ac.uk